Mr. Jiu saw the unpleasant expression on his face and couldn’t help but feel secretly delighted. He spoke unhurriedly:
"This Liyuan is so big, but living alone here feels quite lonely. As I get older, I just want more noise and excitement. Little Jin’er, can you bear to see me growing old and lonely?"
"Ninth Uncle, you’re still young, not old at all. Fine, fine, I’ll stay and eat with you."
He patted her on the head and gave Lu Qing a deliberately provocative glance:
"Good girl, Little Jin’er truly cares about Ninth Uncle."
Lu Qing was so angry that his ears turned red. Shameless old man! Her head—only he could touch that!
That word "good"—only he was allowed to say it to her. And any alone time at night—those moments should exclusively belong to him!
He grinned and pretended to care as he asked:
"Ninth Uncle, why don’t you find yourself a woman? When people get older, without someone by their side, it can be so lonely and cold, right?"
Mr. Jiu glared at this smirking, gloating brat and gritted his teeth:
"No need for your concern! I’m only forty, not old!"
"Well, if you need someone to join you for meals, you’re almost like my old man back home. Speaking of which, my old man’s over seventy now—should I introduce the two of you? Maybe you’ll become great friends."
Excellent. This brat dared to mock him. With a cold laugh, he retorted:
"Old Third, gather all the guards in the garden and let Young Master Lu have some practice with them."
Old Third froze for a moment, his previously broken left hand aching slightly. Another fight? This Young Master Lu was certainly not someone easy to deal with.
Lu Qing, wiser now, responded with a taunting shift:
"Ninth Uncle, if there’s going to be a fight, shouldn’t you personally step in for it to be worthwhile?"
Mr. Jiu stood up, rolling up his sleeves with an elegant yet imposing demeanor. A trace of ruthlessness flickered across his handsome face:
"Since you’re seeking death, I’ll gladly oblige."
Just as the two were about to fight, Qin Miaomiao couldn’t bear it anymore and spoke up:
"You want to fight, right? Well, then I’ll go stay over at Jiaojiao’s tonight. You two take your time fighting."
Lu Qing immediately objected: "Not allowed!" That woman, who was even cooler than most men, had always been his number one romantic rival!
Mr. Jiu seized the opportunity to chime in: "Little Jin’er, see for yourself. This man – so aggressive and belligerent – is clearly not a good match. How about I find you someone better?"
"Ninth Uncle, whenever you find yourself a wife, I’ll consider switching husbands."
"Oh? So now you’re ordering me around? Old Third, make arrangements immediately—tomorrow, I’ll take a wife."
Old Third and the others were utterly stunned. Good heavens! If Mr. Jiu seriously decided to take a wife, the entire Yan Jing would probably lose its mind. How many years had it been since any woman had set foot in Liyuan?
Forget marriage—even finding someone to keep his bed warm was unthinkable. Yet Mr. Jiu showed no interest in women. If things kept going , he might end up becoming a monk.
If Miss Miaomiao could convince Mr. Jiu to take a wife, it would be a significant accomplishment. The group stared at Qin Miaomiao with eyes full of hope, waiting for her reaction.
Qin Miaomiao froze for a moment before grabbing his arm, her tone flattering:
"Ninth Uncle, I was just joking. Don’t bully him. After all, he’s my husband. If you bully him too much, what if he gets back at me later?"
Mr. Jiu’s eyes darkened, his voice icy as he said:
"He dare? I’d break both his legs!"
Lu Qing immensely enjoyed Qin Miaomiao standing up for him but was thoroughly displeased with her holding Mr. Jiu’s arm. He immediately pulled her back into his embrace.
Mr. Jiu saw his little darling being held in another man’s arms and found Lu Qing increasingly obnoxious.
Dinner was ready, and it was even finer than what the best chefs in Yan Jing could prepare. Mr. Jiu sat in the main seat, with Qin Miaomiao and Lu Qing each sitting on his left and right, respectively.